WELLESLEY — A few weeks ago, the Lincoln-Sudbury girls lacrosse team played Westwood in the regular season. After falling in a big hole early, the Warriors’ comeback attempt came up a goal short.
In Sunday’s Div. 1 title game at Babson College, the Wolverines again had the better start, and maybe just had the formula for beating L-S.
Or maybe, this time, things were a little different. L-S was better on the draw, and made the most of its opportunities, as the Warriors earned a thrilling 10-9 victory to claim the state title.
L-S finished with a 21-2 mark, while Westwood, the two-time defending D1 state champs, finished at 22-4.
“For us, it was like, ‘We’ve been here before. We know we can do it,’ ” L-S coach Kaillie Kelly said of her team’s early 3-0 deficit.
The game was tied 8-8 late in the second half, when sophomore Ella Ryan (3 goals) scored off a free position with 7:39 to play. Then, with the benefit of a nifty spin move, Ryan scored again to make it 10-8, L-S, with just 6:08 to play.
Westwood went down fighting, though, as Ava Connaghton scored her fifth goal of the game with 4:13 to play.
But the Warriors held on. Sophomore goalie Lydia Mossi made two big saves off free positions in the final minutes, and the Warriors were able to run out the clock.
“2018 was my first season,” Kelly said. “We didn’t qualify for the playoffs the year before. So it’s just kind of been, all right, back to the playoffs, fell short. Every year we were able to take one step forward. To be able to get back here for the first rime in our program since 1990, and to win it for the first time since 1988, I’m just so incredibly proud of these girls. They’re the most resilient people you will ever meet.”
Reagan Malo scored three goals for L-S. Harper Friedholm scored twice, and Georgia Buendia and Lili Reilly each netted one goal.
Lil Hancock scored three goals for Westwood, and Caroline Nozzolillo had another.
“Our team has battled through adversity all season,” Ryan said. “We’ve been preparing all season for that moment. Our coaches and alumni sent us a video cheering us on, and we knew that we had it in us to win.”
Westwood jumped out to that 3-0 lead in the first 10 minutes, but L-S answered to take a 4-3 halftime lead. Friedholm scored the first goal of the second half, but the lead changed hands twice more after that in the back-and-forth affair.